Coaxial switch with wiping action contactor



' Jam-16, 1968 c.w. CONCELMAN 3,

COAXIAL SWI TCH WITH WIPING ACTION CONTACTOR Filed April 11, 1966 hue 22. 2401:

C21 2/ Gma Z/wn United States Patent M 3,364,329 COAXIAL SWITCH WITH WWING ACTION CONTATOR Carl W. Concclman, Danbury, Conn, assignor to Arnphenol Corporation, Broadview, ill, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 541,584 10 Claims. (Cl. 200-153) This invention relates to switches and more particularly to coaxial switches for switching radio frequency energy.

Coaxial switches are well known in the art for selectively switching radio frequency energy from an input coaxial cable to either one of two output coaxial cables.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved coaxial switch.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coaxial switch having a long life.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coaxial switch which is capable of being manufactured at relatively low cost.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coaxial switch wherein switching is effected with a wiping action.

Other objects of the present invention will become more apparent as the detailed description proceeds.

In general the present invention comprises a switch body defining a cavity. A first contact is provided mounted within said cavity. Second and third contacts are also provided coaxially mounted within said cavity in spatial relationship with respect to each other. A switching blade is disposed within said cavity so that one end thereof lies between said second and third contacts and the other end thereof its engageable with said first contact. Means are provided for shiftably supporting said switching blade and for urging one end of said blade into wiping engagement with said third contact while selectively urging the other end of said blade into wiping engagement with either the second or third of said contacts.

Further understanding of the present invention may best be obtained from consideration of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional diagram of a preferred embodiment for the practice of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG- URE 1.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 a metallic switch body 10 is formed to create a cavity 12 therein. Three passages 14, 16 and 18 are formed in the Wall of body 10 to accept first and second coaxial cables 17 and 19 arranged to be selectively connected with a third coaxial cable 21. Contacts 20 and 22 are mounted coaxially in spatial relationship with respect to each other within the cavity 12. The contacts 20 and 22 are fixedly mounted to insulating blocks 24 and 26 so as to be insulated from the body 10. The central conductors 28 and 30 of coaxial cables 17 and 19 are connected respectively to the contacts 20 and 22. A contact 32 is also mounted within the cavity 12 of switch body 10 and is fixedly mounted to insulators 34 so as to be electrically insulated from the metallic switch body 10. The center conductor 36 of coaxial cable 21 is connected to the contact 32 as shown. The outer conductors of coaxial cables 17, 19 and 21 are connected to the switch body It).

A switching blade 38 is bifurcated at the end 39 to ride over reduced central portion 40 of contact 32. The other end of the switching blade 38 is disposed between contacts 20 and 22 and is engageable with either. Immediately adjacent the reduced central portion 40 of contact 32 are enlarged portions 42 and 4-4. The enlarged portions 42 and 44 engage the switching blade 38 as it reaches 3,364,329 Patented Jan. 16, 1968 the extremities of travel along central portion 40 of contact 32.

The switching blade 38 has an aperture 46 through the center thereof. An insulator 48 is disposed on one side of the blade 38 and extends through the aperture 46 to the other side of blade 38. A second insulator 50 is disposed about the portion of insulator 48 extending through the aperture 46 and engages the switching blade 38. A spring 52 is mounted within a recess 54 formed in switch body and engages insulator 50 while being disposed about the portion of insulator 48 extending through aperture 46. The spring 52 is under compression to urge the insulator 50 and hence switching blade 38 into engagement with contact 22 and enlarged portion 44 of contact 32.

The insulator 48 has a concave socket portion 56 'formedin the bottom thereof. A plunger 58 is slidably mounted through the switch body 10 to engage the concave socket portion 56 of insulator 48. The head of the plunger 58 is rounded to provide a convex mating surface for the concave mating surface of insulator 48.

A relay 60 is attached to the switch body 10 as shown. The relay 60 has a clapper type arm 62 which is terminated in a leaf spring 64. The clapper type arm 62 of relay 60 is attached so that the leaf spring 64 engages the plunger 58 to actuate the switching blade 38.

Operation for the embodiment of FIGURES l and 2 is as follows. The normal position for the coaxial switch of FIGURES l and 2 is as shown, with the switching blade 38 engaging contact 22 and enlarged portion 44 of contact 32. Upon energizing the relay 60, the clapper arm 62 is actuated, thereby urging switching blade 38 into engagement with contact 20 and enlarged portion 42 of contact 32. The engagement of switching blade 38 with contacts 20, 22 and 32 is characterized by a wiping action, obtained by having the spacing between contacts 20 and 22 greater than the length of movement of the contact end 34 in central portion 40 of contact 32 to cause a slight rocking motion to the blade 38 upon movement thereof. The bifurcated end 39 of switching blade 38 prevents rotation of the switching blade 38 and maintains its aligned path of travel.

Upon deactivation of the relay 60, the clapper arm 62 returns to its normal position. Spring 52 then urges the switching blade 38 into its normal engagement with contacts 22 and enlarged portion 44 of contact 32. It is to be noted that the return engagement of the switching blade 38 to contacts 22 and 32 is also characterized by similar wiping action. The wiping action of the switching blade 38 insures good electrical contact with the engaged contacts.

It has been found that with the preferred embodiment described and illustrated above, a reliable coaxial switch may be manufactured at low cost.

It is to be understood that the present invention should not be limited to the plunger actuating means illustrated and described but that other automatic or manual actuating devices may be substituted therefor. It is to be further understood that different mountings of the contacts 20, 22 and 32. may be effected within the spirit of the present invention.

People skilled in the art will, of course, readily adapt the present invention to embodiments far different than the embodiment described and illustrated above. Accordingly the scope of protection afforded the present invention should be determined only in accordance with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A switch comprising a first electrical contact 'having first and second stops therealong, a switching blade having one end thereof disposed between said first and second stops of said first contact to permit movement therebetween, second and third electrical contacts spatially mounted with respect to each other at the other end of said switching blade on opposing sides thereof, said second and third contacts being spaced apart a distance greater than the distance between said first and second stops of said first contact, means for urging said switching blade into engagement with said first stop of said first contact and one of said second and third contacts, and means for urging said switching blade into engagement with said second stop of said first contact and the other of said second and third contacts.

2. A switch comprising a body defining a cavity, a switching blade within the cavity of said body, insulating means disposed about the center portion of said blade, =a first electrical contact within the cavity of said body mounted at one end of said blade and engageable therewith, second and third electrical contacts within the cavity of said body spatially mounted with respect to each other at the other end of said blade on opposing sides thereof and engageable therewith, spring means engaging said body and said insulating means to urge said blade into engagement with said first contact and one of said second and third contacts, a plunger slidably mounted within said body and extendable therefrom into said cavity to engage said insulating means and urge said blade into engagement with said first contact and the other of said second and third contacts, and means for actuating said plunger into extended engagement with said insulating means.

3. A switch comprising a body defining a cavity, a switching blade within the cavity of said body and having one end thereof bifurcated, a first electrical contact within the cavity of said body and having a central portion disposed between the bifurcated end of said blade, said first contact further having enlarged end portions adjacent the central portion thereof engageable with opposing sides of said blade, second and third electrical cont-acts within the cavity of said body spatially mounted with respect to each other at the other end of said blade on opposing sides thereof and engageable therewith, means acting on one side of said blade urging said blade into engagement with said first contact and one of said second and third contacts, means acting on the other side of said blade responsive to a signal urging said blade into engagement with said first contact and the other ofsaid second and third-contacts.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein said second and third contacts are spaced with respect to each other such that the length of the space therebetween is greater than the length of said central portion of said first-contact.

5. The device according to claim 3 wherein said blade urging means comprise an electrical insulator disposed about the central portion of said blade, a spring engaged with said body and said insulator urging said blade into engagement with said first contact and one of said second and third contacts, a plunger slidably mounted through said body engaging said insulator, and means for actuating said plunger into extended engagement with said insulator to urge said blade into engagement with said first contact and the other of said second and third contaets.

6. A switch comprising a body defining a cavity, a switching blade within the cavity of said body and having an aperture through the center thereof, said blade having a bifurcated end, a first electrical contact within the cavity of said body and having a central portion disposed between the bifurcated end of said blade, said first contact further having enlarged end portions adjacent the central portion thereof engageable with opposing sides of said blade, second and third electrical contacts within the cavity of said body spatially mounted with respect to each other at the other end of said blade on opposing sides thereof and engageable therewith, said second and third electrical contacts being spaced apart a distance greater than the length of said central portion of said first contact, a first electrical insulator disposed on one side of said blade and projecting through said aperture to the other side of said blade, a second electrical insulator disposed on the other side of said blade about said first insulator, a spring recessed within said body in engagement with said second insulator about the projection of said first insulator, said spring urging said blade into engagement with said first contact and one of said second and third contacts, a plunger slidably mounted through said body engaging said insulator, and means for actuating said plunger into extended engagement with said first insulator to urge said blade into engagement with said first contact and the other of said second and third contacts.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein the portion of said first insulator engaged with said plunger is concave and the mating portion of said plunger therewith is convex.

8. In a coaxial cable switch, a body defining a cavity, a first contact mounted within said cavity, second and third contacts coaxially mounted within said cavity in spatial relationship with respect to each other, a switching blade having one end thereof disposed between said second and third contacts and the other end thereof engageable with said first contact, means supporting said switching blade about the center thereof for urging said blade into wiping engagement with said first contact and one of said second and third contacts, and means operable about the center of said switching blade for urging said blade into wiping engagement with said first contact and the other of said second and third contacts.

9. The device according to claim 8 wherein said first contact has first and second stops therealong, said end of said blade is disposed between said stops to permit movement thereof therebetween.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein said second and third contacts are spaced apart a distance greater than the distance between said first and second stops on said first contact, said blade urging means comprise insulated member means pivotably supporting said switching blade about the center thereof and operable to urge said switching blade into engagement with said first contact and one of said second and third contacts, and insulated spring means operable on said switching blade about the centerportion thereof to urge said switching blade into engagement with said first contact and the other of said second and third contacts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,584,901 2/19521 Miller et al. 3355 2,911,498 11/1959 Sausser ZOO-153.18 XR 2,997,669 8/1961 Charles 200153.l XR

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

H. BURKS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SWITCH COMPRISING A FIRST ELECTRICAL CONTACT HAVING FIRST AND SECOND STOPS THEREALONG, A SWITCHING BLADE HAVING ONE END THEREOF DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND STOPS OF SAID FIRST CONTACT TO PERMIT MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN, SECOND AND THIRD ELECTRICAL CONTACTS SPATIALLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AT THE OTHER END OF SAID SWITCHING BLADE ON OPPOSING SIDES THEREOF, SAID SECOND AND THIRD CONTACTS BEING APART A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND STOPS OF SAID FIRST CONTACT, MEANS FOR URGING SAID SWITCHING BLADE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST STOP OF SAID FIRST CONTACT AND ONE OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD CONTACTS, AND MEANS FOR URGING SAID SWITCHING BLADE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SECOND STOP OF SAID FIRST CONTACT AND THE OTHER OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD CONTACTS. 